From Self-Published Author’s Lounge
Stephannie Beman has been a storyteller since the moment she first learn to speak, an avid reader since before she could really read, a writer since she penned her first story, and a daydreamer on a mission. She loves the feel of the wind in her hair, the grass against her skin, and the feather light touch of breath on her neck. She is a child of nature, wild and free.
Stephannie, her husband, and two daughters presently live on a small ranch in Southwestern Wyoming in the original homestead cabin. She enjoys the arces of trees, meadow land, mountains, and a river which only fuel her already fertile imagination. She is a writer of paranormal and fantasy romance. In her world legends walk, love is eternal, fables are alive, fairy tales have lessons to teach, and myths are survivors of bygone years.
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Why you write: You mean I had a choice?
Seriously though, I’ve always had a story rattling around in my head. As a child I loved to explore new worlds and have adventures as someone else. The natural progression would have brought me eventually to acting, professional storytelling, or writing. In High School writing won. I can’t act and I’m adverse to public speaking. Writing gave me an escape, a chance to explore the worlds in my mind, and a way to create and express myself. Writing is as important to me as breathing, it’s something I need to do.
What is your routine: I wake up in the morning, get dressed, start a fire in the winter months, and then get my eldest ready for school. Once she’s on the bus I start start coffee or tea, turn on the computer, review my to-do list, and start to working on my current work-in-progress. When the youngest wakes, I feed them, turn on some cartoons, check emails, and work on my blog posts. Later I take my kids outside for a break before lunch. In the afternoons I update my project file for my WIP or read while I watch the kids.
Where do you get the ideas for your books: My Lord Hades came from the myth of Hades and Persephone. Once a Valkyrja was born from a situation where a killer is stalking the tribe. And Loving the Goddess of Love, my current WIP, evolved from an event in My Lord Hades. But I’ve also gotten ideas from dreams, real life, movies, books, while taking a shower, cleaning house and mowing the lawn. Ideas are all around, it’s just a matter of asking “what if?”
What is your writing process: Once I have the idea for the book, I fill in simple character sheets and setting sketches, or at least what I know about them. I also write a summary outline and plot out the main points of the story. If the book is part of a series I make sure that everything flows with the timeline. Creating a Story Evolution chart allows me to make sure the story flows and the last step before writing is a the formatted outline which looks like a rough draft of the book. Once the outlining is finished, I set it aside for a few months, and work on the editing or writing of another story. It’s the best process I’ve found that works for me.
Why did you chose self-publishing: Half way through my second novel I started to study the publishing industry and I didn’t like what I read about the traditional publishing world. I want to enjoy my children. I have a ranch and a household to run. I want to enjoy writing for the sake of writing. I didn’t want to write for the need to crank out book after book so that I won’t be forgotten. I didn’t want an editor to tell me what I had to change or do with my book. I didn’t want the pressure of writing what the industry believes sells rather than what I enjoy.
Do you have any advice to give other writers: Write what makes you happy. Be that fantasy, fiction, romance, thillers, non-fiction, horror, or erotica. Do what works for you. If that’s writing everyday, then write every day. If that’s creating a project folder of maps, research, character sketches, setting sketches, outlines, etc. Do it. If its just writing without a plan, have fun at it. Don’t let anyone tell you what you must do, or the right way to write. We are all different and as long as we all end in the same place, a completed written work, who gives a shit how we got there.
Stephannie Beman’s Titles:
My Lord Hades, published in paperback and digital June 2010
Persephone, published December 2010
Once a Valkyrja, published December 2011
Love is Blind (short story), February 2012
I love hearing from readers and other authors. I can be contacted via e-mail at stephanniebeman@aol.com or you can find me at:
Webite/blog: http://stephanniebeman.com
The Gossip Papers (Mythical Tabloid): http://thegossippapers.wordpress.com
Stephannie Beman’s Designs (Services for Self-Published Authors): http://stephanniebemansdesigns.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephannie-Beman/100000474314369
Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephanniebeman
